Ramblers Cruise & Walk Holidays Information Sheet

Transcription

1 Ramblers Cruise & Walk Holidays Information Sheet The Mediterranean & her Islands Tour Code: Cruise Duration Departure 2 nd April Date: Nights Grade: 3 on Balmoral On our walk on Minorca (Bill Cooper) Welcome on board! A cruise to southern waters is appealing at any time of year. When cold dull days are commonplace in northern Europe we can expect milder weather further south and with any luck bright sunshine as spring comes to the Mediterranean. Sailing from Southampton we have three days at sea to relax, unwind, & enjoy the facilities and lectures on board Balmoral. Our first port of call is Malaga in the south of Spain from where we travel to the beautiful town of Ronda, rich in Roman, Moorish and Christian history, and in a spectacular setting. From here we cruise west to the ancient port of Cartagena, a city whose history goes back beyond the Romans to the Phoenician traders who roamed the Mediterranean. We visit three of the Balearic islands, the first one being Ibiza. Forget the party image and think quiet lanes, remote bays and quiet countryside. Next comes Minorca, relatively low-lying, with rocky headlands, sandy coves and rich wildlife. On our way back west we call into Palma de Mallorca, our third Balearic Island. In spite of the island having gone very upmarket in recent years, it is still easy to find the cobbled paths which have linked the island s villages for centuries, passing through olive and lemon groves. Cadiz, on Spain s Atlantic coast is a busy city with a proud maritime history. In our final stop of Lisbon we concentrate on cultural wonders.. In Portugal s beautiful waterside capital, history resides in every square and along every cobbled street. In all the ports we visit we should be ashore from roughly 9am to 5pm, and in a couple of cases Balmoral does not sail until after dinner. Our aim is to combine half day walks in the local countryside, which give a real flavour of the islands and coastal areas, with free time to explore the fascinating cities where we dock. The next day brings us to Ajaccio, Napoleon s birthplace on the island of Corsica, after which we take the short journey south to Sardinia and the Costa Smeralda, our furthest point east.

2 Your Cruise Day by Day We hope to carry out the following itinerary as described. Where possible we aim to walk at high level to get the best views. Should the weather not be suitable, however, we will normally endeavour to provide alternative walks or sightseeing options. Day 1 Tue 2 nd April Sail from Southampton Today we board Balmoral in Southampton and set sail for Malaga. Check in for the cruise begins one hour prior to embarkation. Embarkation at the cruise terminal usually begins three hours before departure and closes one hour prior to sailing. At Southampton you will be greeted by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines staff, including porters who will arrange for your luggage to be delivered to your cabin. There will be a letter from your Ramblers Cruise & Walk Holidays leader in your cabin informing you of the place and time for you to meet the rest of the group. Sailing time is usually from mid afternoon to early evening and will be confirmed on your travel documents. Days 2 to 4 Wed 3 rd to Fri 5 th April Sailing to Andalucia We three days at sea to relax and enjoy the ship s facilities. There is usually a range of activities available on board you may choose to join a fitness class or visit the onboard gym, attend one of the on board lectures, treat yourself to a treatment in the spa or just simply relax in one of the lounges with a coffee and a book from the library. Each evening a Daily Times newsletter will be placed in your cabin, detailing events and timings for the following day. maybe have a relaxing drink in the parador overlooking the gorge. 6km (4 miles), 300m ascent & descent, 2 ½ hours Day 6 Sun 7 th April Exploring Cartagena Our walk today starts in the village of Tentegorra, just to the west of Cartagena. We climb through carob and almond trees to the viewpoint of the Collado del Roldán, 308m. From here we have magnificent views of the Mediterranean and the pine-clad cliffs of Cabo Tiñoso. We then return the same way to Tentegorra. 7km (4 miles); 350m ; 3 hours. On returning to Cartagena there should be time to explore the old part of town by the port, with its narrow medieval streets and well-preserved Roman theatre. Day 7 Mon 8 th April Walking on Ibiza On arrival in Ibiza town we take a coach to the town of St Miquel de Balansat some 15 or so miles to the north. From here we walk in the main gently down through pleasant countryside to the sea at the Port de Sant Miquel where there should be time for a swim from the sandy beach. 6km (4 miles), 50m ascent / 200m descent, 2 ½ hours Boats in the Port de Sant Miquel (Diane Dejaeghere) Day 8 Tue 9 th April Walking on Minorca Day 5 Sat 6 th April A visit to Ronda On arrival in Malaga we travel an hour and a half up into the Andalucian hinterland to the beautiful city of Ronda. We walk in the Tajo Gorge beneath the town, then allow free time to visit the cobbled streets of the old town, the bull ring, or Taking transport north from where we come ashore in Mahon, we travel to the lighthouse at Cap de Favaritx. From here we follow a section of the Cami de Cavalls, the long distance path with encircles Minorca. This is a relatively isolated walk with occasional undulations. Just before we reach our final destination at Es Grau there is a chance to walk along the duckboards through the wetlands of the Albufera nature reserve.

3 10 km (6 miles), 300m ascent & descent, 4 hours On returning to Mahon there should be time to explore the old city centre. On the path from San Pantaleo to the sea (Sardinian Discovery) The entrance to Mahon Harbour (Dave Horley) Day 9 Wed 10 th April Walking from Ajaccio We start the day with a short journey to the west of Ajaccio. Close to the coast we start the Sentier des Douaniers, the old path patrolled by the island s customs officials. The path follows the coast with lovely views across the maquis to headlands, hills and the Iles Sanguinaires just off the coast. On completing the walk we return to Ajaccio for free time to explore the Corsican capital. 7.5km (4.5 miles), 200m ascent & descent, 2 ½ - 3 hours Day 11 Fri 12 th April Sailing to Mallorca We have a day at sea as we cruise across the Mediterranean from Sardinia on our way back to the third Balearic Island we will visit. Day 12 Sat 13 th April Walking on Mallorca From the capital Palma we head for the north coast by coach, starting our walk just to the east of Deia. We follow the trans- Mallorcan Pedra en Sec route to the village of Puerto de Soller. On the way we pass carob, loquat, orange and lemon trees, with views down to the coast a really lovely walk. 7.5km (4.5 miles), 250m ascent & 350m descent, 3 hours. Le Sentier des Douaniers (Ajaccio Tourisme) Day 10 Thu 11 th April Walking from Olbia We come ashore in Olbia, Sardinia s main town in the north of the island. From here we take a coach to the village of San Pantaleo, then walk along footpaths and dirt roads, past ancient cork oaks and rural houses, with a local guide to the Costa Smeralda coast. 7km (4 miles), 50m ascent & 250m descent, 2 to 3 hours The path between Deia and Puerto de Soller (Miguel del Porto) Day 13 Sun 14 th April Sailing to Cádiz We have a day at sea as Balmoral heads west through the Mediterranean towards the Pilars of Hercules and the Atlantic Ocean. Day 14 Mon 15 th April Exploring Cádiz We have a day in the city of Cádiz. In the morning a local guide will walk us through the narrow streets of the old town. We visit the central market for a chance to sample some delicious chocolate y churros. The afternoon is free to walk along the promenade or explore the old town some more.

4 Days 16 & 17 Wed 17 th & Thu 18 th April Sailing to Southampton We have two more days at sea to enjoy the comforts of life on a cruise and to reflect on our experiences as Balmoral sails north back towards the UK. The promenade of Cádiz (Cádiz Tourist Office) Day 15 Sun 16 th April Exploring Lisbon We enjoy a morning in the Portuguese capital. A local guide shows us what makes Lisbon one of Europe s most attractive and interesting capitals, with its steep cobbled streets, a waterside setting and imposing 18 th century buildings. Enjoying a game of quoits at sea (Norman Payne) Day 18 Fri 19 th April Arrive in Southampton Balmoral arrives in Southampton at around 7am for disembarkation after breakfast. Ornamental Façade on Lisbon s Rossio Square (Visit Lisboa) Additional Information Walks & Excursions What s Included Each evening the leader will discuss and arrange the programme for the following day. Should you not wish to join the party, please let the leader know. The described walks assume that the weather will be good and that the ship will keep to the planned schedule. We may have to change the walks if the ship s schedule changes or there is poor weather in the mountains. Whilst sightseeing plays a small part in our itinerary, no entrances to museums or monuments are planned, and therefore no entrance fees are included in the price of the holiday Accommodation on board. All meals and snacks throughout your cruise. Complimentary tea and coffee during the day and early evening at selected venues. All entertainment on board Sports & leisure facilities on board All port taxes for UK ports. Porterage on board. A programme of walks from our ports of call including any necessary local transportation costs. Transport to and from the ship by the ship s shuttle bus service, if necessary, at all the places we visit. Tips to the restaurant staff.

5 What s Not Included Any drinks on board Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines shore excursions Hairdressing, health, beauty treatments and selected fitness classes Personal laundry and dry cleaning Holiday Insurance Discretionary gratuities to the crew (apart from the restaurant staff), drivers, guides etc both on board and ashore Entrances to any museums or sites unless specifically mentioned in the itinerary. Any local excursions not included in the Ramblers Cruise & Walk Holidays programme, or merely mentioned as possibilities in this Holiday Information Sheet. Occasionally a local guide or your Ramblers Cruise & Walk Holidays leader might suggest entering a site or monument in a city for which there is an entrance fee to pay. Please allow approximately 20 for this on this holiday. Balmoral Our cruise ship is Balmoral, Fred Olsen s largest and newest cruise ship. She is however still compact enough to offer an intimate, homely atmosphere and the combination of Balmoral's comfortable cabins, excellent cuisine, friendly attentive crew and on board facilities are second to none. On board facilities include two swimming pools, a fitness centre including a sauna, steam room and beauty salon, two sun decks, Jacuzzis, several lounges and bars, a card room, small casino, library, internet room and restaurants. The ship has a medical centre, a boutique, a shop where you can buy essentials such as sun cream or toiletries, and there is also a self service laundrette and ironing room on board. The main restaurant is Ballindalloch (named after the Speyside village and castle), while the two other formal restaurants - Avon and Spey - are also in keeping with the Scottish theme and are named after two of Scotland's most beautiful salmon rivers. Balcony Suite on board Balmoral ( Fred Olsen ) Our accommodation is in twin and single cabins with shower and wc. All cabins are equipped with individually controlled air-conditioning, television, hairdryers, tea and coffee making facilities and a safety deposit box. Balmoral has a nonsmoking policy on board and smoking is not permitted in any cabin. Allocated cabins will be an inside cabin (normally on the Atlantic Deck) unless you have paid a supplement to upgrade. Those booking single cabins may not necessarily be allocated a twin cabin for sole use. Your cabin steward will keep your cabin in immaculate condition throughout your stay, replacing any linen or towels as or when required. Separate towels are provided for poolside use. Balmoral operates a satellite telephone system, with telephones in each cabin, and personal mobile phones enabled for international roaming should work on board. The voltage on board the Balmoral is supplied at 220 volts (requiring a continental style 2-pin plug). If you are in any doubt as to the appropriate voltage to use your electrical appliances on board, please check with the ship s Reception Desk. Adapters are usually available for hire on board, or may be bought at the ship s shop. Payment on board is in Sterling, and a credit account system is operated on board allowing purchases to be charged to your account which must be settled at the end of your cruise see the Currency section for more details. Deck plans for the Balmoral can be viewed at the following address: There's a comfy pub with occasional live music or comedy, cabaret and shows in the Neptune Lounge, or drift away with a cool drink and spectacular seascapes in the Observatory Lounge After dinner there are always shows, reviews and evenings of cabaret for your entertainment. Or maybe even try your hand at the Casino? Balmoral (Fred Olsen)

6 Meals they can drive right up alongside the terminal building, with experienced staff on hand to help with your luggage So what s on the menu? One certainty is that no one aboard ship will ever go hungry. All meals are included and you start the day with breakfast, a buffet arrangement where you can choose from fresh fruits, cereals, yoghurts, a full English breakfast, cheeses, cold cuts, breads, pastries, fresh juices and unlimited tea or coffee. We ll take our lunches onboard on cruising days and the choice is yours: sample the ample buffet in the restaurant, see what s on offer in the informal café or choose an alfresco poolside affair. When we re out for the day we ll be provided with a packed lunch. Dinner is a sumptuous five course feast. The choices are many, and the food is excellent. The menus are varied and mouth-watering, freshly cooked by award-winning chefs. Special diets such as fat-free, vegetarian and gluten-free meals can be catered for. Dinner is taken in a stylish restaurant with smiling courteous waiting staff creating a wonderful atmosphere for your evening meal. We are booked for dinner at 6.15pm to allow you plenty of time to also enjoy the evening entertainment if you wish. Wine can be pre-ordered from the Maître d or over the interactive intranet in your cabin. A later buffet dinner may be taken on certain days in the Palms Café where the food is virtually the same as that served in the main restaurant. And if this is not enough, there is also morning coffee, afternoon tea and extensive late night suppers to indulge in! We ll also have an exclusive drinks party for our group one evening in addition to the Captain s welcome and farewell parties and a traditional afternoon tea with waiter service on one of our sea days. Complimentary tea and coffee can be found aboard ship throughout the day, usually in the informal café. Other drinks must be purchased but prices are very reasonable. No alcoholic drinks purchased ashore may be taken aboard the ship for consumption during the cruise. If you have any special dietary requirements such as diabetic, gluten/wheat free, dairy free/soya, vegetarian, vegan, or low fat please advise us at the time of booking or no later than 14 weeks prior to departure. Getting to Southampton Southampton is the Cruise Capital of the UK. Fred. Olsen cruise ships mainly depart from the City Cruise Terminal. However occasionally they may use the Mayflower or QE2 cruise terminals. Please refer to your cruise embarkation instructions. If you wish to travel by car and park for the duration of your cruise, you can pay for and reserve parking in advance directly with the relevant company. Alternatively, if you re being dropped off or collected by taxi or private car, Travelling by car From M3: From M3 take Exit 13, sign posted M27 West Southampton docks. Continue on the M27 until you see signs for M271 Southampton Docks & Old Waterfront. Stay in the left hand lane as you filter onto the M271. Continue for approx. 3/4 miles when you will come to a roundabout, turn left to Southampton Docks & Waterfront. Follow signs for Old Town & Waterfront for approx. 3 miles, moving into the right hand lane and follow signs towards West Quay and the Old Town & Waterfront. Turn right at both sets of traffic lights and follows signs for dock gate 10, which is well signposted. From M27 Eastbound: Exit the M27 at junction 3 and join the M271, heading towards Totton. At the roundabout at the end of the M271 take the exit towards Southampton (A Mountbatten Way). Turn off the A3024 where signs direct you to Dock Gate 10 and Ocean Village. At the first set of traffic lights (opposite the Novotel Hotel) turn right into Southern Road. After the security gatehouse, turn left at the roundabout, proceed approximately metres, and the City Cruise Terminal/Berth 101 can be found on the right hand side. If you are parking your car for the duration of the cruise please follow signs for the City Terminal. You will be met by representatives from C.P.S. Porters will be waiting to take your baggage and your car will be parked within the Docks Estate on your behalf.

7 Please note: It is mandatory to pre-book your car parking, bookings can be made by telephone with A.B.P on or visiting Travelling by coach Eavesway Coaches offers a range of services, designed to make joining your cruise ship easier and more convenient. Eavesway Coach Travel will operate the following routes to and from Southampton: Scotland & North West North East & Yorkshire North Wales South Wales Norfolk & London To book, simply call Eavesway Cruiselink on (Option 1). Travelling by rail Guests travelling by rail for their cruise from Southampton should alight at Southampton Central Station. On arrival at Southampton Central Station guests should proceed with their baggage to the Main Entrance, opposite Toys'R'Us. For those guests wishing to book a taxi to their departure cruise terminal, please call Radio Taxis on or contact them at Booking@radtax.co.uk. Embarkation On arrival at the port you will need to produce both your ticket and a valid passport, so please ensure you have both readily to hand. When checking in you will be issued with your ship s pass and boarding card. Your ship s pass acts as your security pass and on board account card for the full duration of the cruise. Each time you embark or disembark the ship your card will be swiped to record whether you are on board or ashore. In addition your hand luggage may be subject to either x-ray scanning or a manual search each time you re-join the ship. Although most cruises experience calm seas, there is always the possibility of heavy weather. It is possible in these circumstances that some clients may be susceptible to seasickness. You may wish to consider packing some travel motion sickness medication which can greatly reduce any symptoms. Please liaise with your local pharmacist or doctor for advice regarding particular medication. Advice on vaccinations is available from your GP, or can be obtained from the Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA). In addition, general travel advice is available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at Passports & Insurance Passport, visa and health requirements can change at any time. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you inform yourself from a professionally qualified source on, and comply with, such requirements. It is a condition of carriage that all guests must hold a full and valid passport, the validity of which is dependent upon the destinations visited. Some ports of call will require at least 6 months validity after your return to the UK. Since you will be denied boarding if unable to present your passport at check-in, please ensure your passport is kept in your hand baggage. It is a good idea to carry photocopies of the personal details pages of your passport. Should you lose your passport, this may assist with the issue of replacement documents when you return to the UK. This should also allow you to change money. Please take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with you - it will help in the event of an emergency. See the Medical Services Abroad section of our General Information Booklet for further details. It is important to check your EHIC is current as it is issued with an expiry date. Please also remember your insurance details the party leader will ask for this information locally and you will not be able to join our walking and activity programme without this information. Luggage Disembarkation At least 24 hours before the end of your cruise the full disembarkation instructions will be placed inside your cabin. Please ensure you have settled all on board accounts before leaving the ship. Health & Fitness Your luggage allowance is 200lbs or 90kg. For safety reasons, each piece of luggage should weigh less than 44lbs or 20kg. Clothing & Equipment Daytime wear Daytime wear is casual with comfortable shoes for walking around deck. A lightweight jacket or coat is recommended for the early evening when the sun sets. You may also like to take a towel and swimwear as Balmoral has two swimming pool, two Jacuzzis and a sauna & steam room. Towels are provided at the poolside should you forget

8 your own. During the day casual wear is allowed in the restaurant but not swimwear. Evening wear During your cruise there will be both formal and smart casual evenings. On formal evenings, gentlemen are encouraged to wear black tie, although a dark suit and tie will be fine, with ladies elegantly dressed in cocktail or evening dress. On smart casual evenings men can wear open necked shirts, chinos and dark coloured jeans, and women a dress or casual separates. Clothing and equipment for walking All of the walks will be rough underfoot at times, so we recommend proper walking boots with a Vibram sole. Although we hope the weather will be sunny, there is a chance of rain, so waterproofs are strongly recommended. Some walks start high up, so warm fleeces should also be take Currency The currency on board ship is sterling. A credit account system is operated on board allowing bar drinks, wine in restaurants, laundry charges, purchases from the shop and any other incidental expenses to be automatically charged to your account. You will be required to register a debit or credit card at check-in against which to charge your on board account. If paying by credit card a 1.5% fee will apply; no surcharge is applied to payment by debit card. On board accounts can be settled in cash, however a debit or credit card must still be registered at check-in to secure the on board account balance. The following credit cards are accepted: Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa. Fred. Olsen also accepts Visa debit cards but is unable to accept American Express, Solo, and Electron, travel agent debit cards or traveller s cheque cards. The ship operates a Bureau de Change on board, where currency can be purchased or sold subject to local currency restrictions. All major currencies are stocked based on the cruise destinations with no commission charge and competitive rates. Maps & Suggested Reading There are Rough Guide the Spain has sections on all the places we visit in Spain, be they islands or on the mainland. The Rough guide to Portugal has a good section on Lisbon. Books and maps can be obtained from: The Map Shop 15 High Street Upton upon Severn, Worcs. WR8 0HJ England Tel : Fax : themapshop@btinternet.com General Information Please note that this Holiday Information sheet may be periodically updated and reissued. In most cases any revisions will be minor and the overall nature of the holiday will be unchanged. Should we need to make a major change to the holiday arrangements between you booking your holiday and your date of travel we will notify you to specifically draw your attention to any significant change. You may wish to review the latest version of the Holiday Information sheet online prior to travel Ramblers Cruise & Walk Holidays Lemsford Mill Lemsford Village Welwyn Garden City Herts AL8 7TR Tel : +44(0) info@cruiseandwalk.co.uk Tipping Fred. Olsen operates a system whereby the recommended level of gratuities will be automatically added to guests onboard accounts at the end of the cruise. Ramblers Cruise & Walk Holidays include the tips for the dining room waiters but 2.50 per guest per day will be added to all on board accounts for cabin stewards. Anyone wishing to vary the amount given can do so via reception and guests are free to remove the charge from their onboard account and tip the relevant staff in the traditional envelope & cash method if they prefer. Published October 2018